What is SOPA?

If you think SOPA sounds like Mexican soup and PIPA is the fetching sister of a certain princess, you can be excused for wondering why Wikipedia, Reddit and thousands of other websites are blacking out in protest Wednesday.

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Hart breaks down SOPA, PIPA

And if you want to know why everyone’s so upset, well, here’s why.

What’s the big idea?

SOPA and PIPA are designed to crack down on websites based offshore that peddle illegal content — think pirated Hollywood blockbusters and fake Viagra. No one disputes that that’s a worthy goal. The rub is whether it would give the government and copyright holders too much control over the Web.

Here’s how it would work: If the Justice Department or a copyright holder believed a site was directing users to pirated content, they would go to court. Depending on who’s complaining, different remedies would come into play: In some instances a judge could order an Internet service provider like Verizon to cut off access to a site. In others, a search engine like Google could be directed to delete links to an infringing site. The idea is to starve the offending sites of the web traffic that keeps them in business.

Why’s it such a big deal?

What’s happening now on the Web, the bills’ backers say, is nothing short of rampant unpoliced theft of American goods. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, so-called “rogue” sites draw hundreds of millions of clicks a year — at a huge toll to the American economy. The business lobby cites research by brand protection firm MarkMonitor estimating that illegal sites cost legitimate businesses more than $130 billion in revenue annually.

Enter SOPA and PIPA.

Will the government be able to censor the web if the bills pass?

That’s the crux of the debate. Google and First Amendment scholars like Harvard’s Laurence Tribe argue that SOPA would squelch free speech by giving private parties power to effectively cripple sites that allegedly — but not conclusively — steal copyrighted content. The simple filing of a complaint, they say, would exert huge pressure on the Internet ecosystem to blacklist an accused site. They also say it would give the feds dangerous new powers to go after sites for political reasons.

Nonsense, supporters say. The bills, they say, are narrowly crafted to target overseas sites that are “dedicated to theft of U.S. property.” Web companies are resorting to hyperbole and hysteria to maintain the status quo, backers argue.

Who wants the bills to pass?

The biggest backers of the antipiracy bills are the industries hardest hit by online piracy: the makers of music and movies. The Internet, and the explosion of illegal copying and sharing of music and movie files that came with it, has been economically devastating for Hollywood and recording studios, and they’ve been pushing lawmakers for years to hold Internet platforms more accountable for the illegal content that flows through their servers. The bills are also backed by makers of pharmaceuticals and luxury goods that want to strangle the market for knockoff goods. All told, hundreds of businesses led by the chamber are pushing hard for the bills.

Readers' Comments (17)

Theft of copyrighted material and freedom of speech under the First Amendment are easily distinguished by anyone who wants to do the right thing. The whining geeks who oppose piracy legislation are advocates for stealing, most likely a bunch of folks who have never had an original thought worth protecting or buying.

The whining geeks who oppose piracy legislation are advocates for stealing, most likely a bunch of folks who have never had an original thought worth protecting or buying.

Congratulations for winning the Nonsense Post of the Day!

Both bills [SOPA and PIPA] and poorly written, stifle innovation and violate the first admendment. Even the White House is against these crappy, word-salad bills.

Placing search engines and ISP's in the middle of policing for piracy is plain and simply a bad and confused attempt by well meaning, but dumb people that fundamentally don't understand how the Internet works.

In Obama's own words: While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet.

This article is a simpleminded explanation of the SOPA debate, but if you really want to keep it simple, just ask if you want the entertainment industry and Verizon to be able to pre-emptively censor the internet, bypassing the courts. Sound good?

Why is there any surprise that an overd, overbearing bureaucratic government headed by a marxist is behaving the same way that governments like this ALWAYS behave. Leftist govenments ALWAYS strive for more power and more censorship to keep themselves in power. That's what is going on in North Korea, in Cuba, in Venezuela, on American college campuses and eveywhere else that marxists are in power.

The idea that Obama will veto this is a fantasy. He will delay it until after the election. Then he will betray the very people who put him there - just like he did the last time.

Remember the prisoner camp in Cuba that did not close as promised?

Remember the budget that was never balanced as promised?

Remember the unemployment rate that did not decline as promised?

Remember the post-partisanship that never happened?

Promises from Obama are worthless. Anyone who doesn't realize that by now, is either deeply in denial or is just not paying attention.

This bunch of oligarchs shipped all the jobs out of the country then they want to be able to block access to any one who wants to by pass them and buy something outside their monopoly. And political censorship is right behind.

Y'know what's too bad about Politico? What's too bad is that, because their political writing is so skewed toward the left, and so often disregards the honest-middle . . . the sharing of both sides . . . that even when they try to cover a serious subject like this, their credibility and honesty is suspect.

THIS is why our country is in so much trouble. These IDIOTS in Congress aren't doing anything about our debt, our deficit, unemployment, etc. But they can find time to write and try to pass this kind of GARBAGE - just like they did with the NDAA. The whole bunch of them, Democrats and Republicans, need to be thrown out on their asses, along with Obama.

Once again, it's the 1% against the billionaires. I agree that they should spend more time writing laws that

can help our country's employment problem. We should have at least one party that champions the people and I just dont think a billionaire knows or cares what I am going through. Obama tried to help but Congress fought him all the way. The Newt doesn't do anything to help Georgia, how can help the nation?

There is no defending copyright piracy. Stealing is stealing and it is simply morally wrong. The First Amendement does not protect such behavior in any way. If a judge sees cause to issues an injunction on a questionably illegal practice, even outside of copyright law, those committing the offence are legally bound to stop. Whatever practice the legal system has determined to be questionable would then have its day in court, but would not be allowed to continue until it has been judged harmless. This seems perfectly fair to me. What is not fair is that those stealing copyright material would have more rights then those holding the copyright. What it all comes down to in reality is PORN. Those fighting these bills want to be able to flog it to all the porn they want without paying for it. So basically if you are against the bill your either a morally corrupted thief or a serial wanker.

I'm positive I'm not the only internet user receiving offers from lonely and horny housewives, prostitutes (received 1 today), viagra, cialis, lottery winnings notices from Malaysia, Great Britain and Shanghai (received 2 today), rich widows dying of breast cancer with millions to give away (received 2 today) and knock off Rolex offers (receive at least 1 every day) with Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail and Live.com domains. Supposedly these Nigerian 419 email scams are coming from UPS, DHL, FedEx, Cargill, Shell Oil, FBI, IMF, University of Brazil, University of Florida, United Nations, doctor (somebody), reverend (somebody), barister (somebody), and even one from the Ambassador to Nigeria. My Hotmail Junk box usually has up to 8 pieces of crapola each and every day - including holidays. [None of my other accounts are being flooded with this junk.] I usually forward all of it to spam@uce.gov, the FTC investigative site for trash such as this; plus to the appropriate domain. Hotmail/Live.com is the only domain which has advised me they have shut down the email addresses I've reported via abuse@hotmail.com. Yahoo can't be bothered to monitor any of this reported stuff.

BTW, I have never nor will I ever respond to any of this junk. It would take a mighty stupid individual to even think they would be receiving millions of dollars from a total stranger. One I received this morning was offering me more than $18 million from a doctor's widow with breast cancer supposedly living in Big Spring, Texas. No thanks. My bank account is full.

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